Marathon

In the 1970s, Jeff Galloway was one of a group of young American runners who would change distance running forever. Jeff and his running buddies, Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, Steve Prefontaine, Don Kardong, Amby Burfoot, Kenny Moore, and others, captured the attention of a new generation of fitness-minded Americans, and the running boom was born. What had been a sport for the few became an activity for the millions.

Jeff attended Wesleyan University and was an All-American in cross-country and track. In preparing for the 1972 Olympics, Jeff, along with Frank Shorter and Jack Bacheler, spent two months training in the mountains of Vail, Colorado, and all three made the Olympic team that year.

In 1973, Jeff set an American record in the 10-mile run. He won the first Atlanta Marathon at age 18 and was the first winner of Atlanta’s Peachtree Road Race in 1970. In the mid-’70s he began to follow a training program that emphasized more rest and less weekly mileage, coupled with a long run every other week. At age 35, he ran the Houston-Tenneco Marathon in 2:16.

Jeff Galloway’s Competitive Career:

• High school:

• 1-mile: 4:28
• 2-mile: 9:48

• College:

• 1-mile: 4:12
• 2-mile: 9:06
• 3-mile: 14:10

• Other times:

• 6-mile: 27:21
• 10K: 28:29
• 10-mile: 47:49 (US record, 1973)

Jeff met his wife, Barbara, at a track meet in Florida. Barbara was on the Florida State women’s track team. They were married in 1976. Barbara, who wrote the chapter on women's running, runs practically every day and has competed in more than 165 marathons. Her best 10K time is 41:50 and marathon time, 3:18.

Jeff is now on the road over half the time. Because of his busy schedule, he often runs 2 to 5 miles, 2 to 3 times per day. He generally totals about 50 miles a week. He has currently run over 240 marathons, at the rate of 10 per year. He and Barb are invited speakers at dozens of events each year, including the runDisney series, where Jeff is the Official Training Consultant at his booth each weekend.

All the Galloways run marathons, half-marathons, and other events.